University of Virginia Library

8698. UNITED STATES, Enduring.—

When the General Government shall become
incompetent [to the objects of government
specially assigned to it] instead of flying to
monarchy or that tranquillity which it is the

Thomas Jefferson
Age unknown

Reproduced from an engraving by Neagle after the painting by Otis.

nature of slavery to hold forth, the true
remedy would be a subdivision, as you observe.
But it is to be hoped that by a due
poise and partition of powers between the
General and particular governments we have
found the secret of extending the benign
blessing of Republicanism over still greater
tracts of country than we possess, and that a
subdivision may be avoided for ages, if not
forever.—
To James Sullivan. Ford ed., v, 369.
(Pa., 1791)